


Angel Boy

by withinmelove



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angel Wings, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, angel au, angel!will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7739344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withinmelove/pseuds/withinmelove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will is an angel sent to shepherd Hannibal into redemption. Hannibal is fascinated by his angel's wings and Will completely loses his footing in this mortal realm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Angel Boy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Saucery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saucery/gifts).



> This fic came into being entirely because of this post: http://saucefactory.tumblr.com/post/89224915866/mads-turbation-saucefactory
> 
> Sauce has an amazing mind and I thoroughly encourage anyone to go check her fandom tags because any and all posts she squees about is worth reading. This includes her Hannibal and Hannigram tags. 
> 
> The playlist I used when writing this fic: http://8tracks.com/allyviaf/angel-boy

Hannibal’s guardian angel arrived in the dead of winter. 

He was disappointed later that he had missed this momentous occasion, but at the time - if he was to have blood pudding - the body needed to be drained. No doubt his angel had looked awe inspiring alighting upon the ground if only Hannibal had noticed. 

“What - what in Mother’s name are you doing?!” The voice startled him so much he almost knocked over the full bucket. As he whirled around, what he saw arrested the tackle his muscles had coiled for. There stood an angel before him, eyes and mouth wide in horror, tensed as if to run. However what caught Hannibal’s eye the most were the massive wings opened on either side of him. They spanned at least twenty feet and were two different colors - an unusual specimen to say the least. The drifting snowflakes catching on his feathers and hair made him look regal. 

And how he, Hannibal, must have looked to the poor creature, covered in blood with a corpse hung upside down in the shed. However, one didn’t get to choose when one met an angel, so Hannibal straightened up, palms held up. 

“I apologize for the mess; you’ve caught me starting to make blood pudding. Pray tell what might an angel like yourself be doing here? I thought your kind took to the pulpit.” For a moment the angel looked too nauseated to speak, gaze stuck on the corpse behind him. Remarkably quick the angel regained a measure of his composure enough to reply, flinching when he noticed the blood stained clothes. 

“I’m - I’m here to be your guardian angel, to shepherd you from the sins you commit.” A pleasant platitude. Hannibal wondered if this angel had ever seen the nature of humans and how changing habits was like pulling teeth. Agonizing and messy. 

But no time for that now, standing out in the snow wasn’t going to figure anything out. A toga was no protection from the fierce chill and he could tell his angel was starting to shiver. 

“Of course, how rude of me. Please come inside, you must be cold. Tell me what I should call you besides ‘angel,’” Hannibal inquired, his hand held out in offering. No surprise when his angel skirted it cautiously trailing him indoors instead. 

Despite Hannibal’s inexperience with angels this one seemed to be quite young. There was no serene eyes or wise words, but movements like a skittish cat ready to flee. He surmised this was his angel’s first time on Earth when he blanched at the human lungs laid out on the cutting board. What a cruel God to drop this innocent creature in the mire of Hannibal’s life. What a perfect world that he was given such a gift. 

And now that he had a moment to _look_ at his unexpected guest he took further inventory of his guest’s wings. The right wing was golden blond and the left a warm chestnut brown. He noticed a discoloration of black dripped just the smallest bit down the blond side. Of course, Hannibal supposed there would be _some_ diversity amongst angels, but even for them this must have been quite unusual. The angel's eyes, which had been surveying his kitchen, caught Hannibal's gaze. At once he folded his wings against his back at the scrutiny making Hannibal smile, the protective gesture did nothing to hide them, folded or not. In fact, due to their size, the primary feathers swept the ground. They were his cloak and shield, he mused.

The angel moved away from the lungs into a corner of the kitchen by the sink, playing with the knobs. The silence stretched between them though Hannibal didn’t mind. It just meant he could look his guest over at length. The one thing he can’t stand is the dreadful toga his angel is wearing. It was so _trite _. As soon as he was able, Hannibal would tear that ugly item off, and replace it with proper clothing. He preferred suits but until he could come up with a solution for the wings -__

__“What is your name?” Hannibal asked, in order to distract himself from that awful toga, and draw his angel’s attention back from the magical faucet. It partially worked, for he at least turned so that Hannibal could see his profile._ _

__“Mother gave me the name of Will.” Hannibal blinked in surprise._ _

__“I didn’t think angels were capable of giving birth without certain anatomy.” Will grimaced at this vague mention of genitalia... _my, rather touchy about that, wasn’t he?__ _

__Hannibal wondered when curiosity would get the best of Will to look at his own now that he was on Earth._ _

__Will shook his head as he meandered around the length of the counter examining the appliances set there._ _

__“No - _Mother_ \- God in your words.” _ _

__“God is a woman?” Hannibal raised his brows curious. “What does it say about the holy men who recorded her as male?”_ _

__By this point Will had reached the stove, and Hannibal took a few steps closer. It would be quite the unfortunate event if he burned himself. Will saw his movement and retreated to the sink to play with the water (Hannibal hoped it was the cold tap) that dribbled from the faucet._ _

__“We saw how your men treated women, beat them and killed them if they so much as _looked_ out of line.” Will shook his head as he sighed trying to pinch the water between his fingers. How sweet and childlike the image was. “We decided Mother might be given more credence if she was Father instead.” Here Hannibal gave a bark of laughter. So his angel was familiar with the nature of humans. “It seems your people beat and kill no matter the sex.” _ _

__Hannibal nodded “That is true.”_ _

__\---_ _

__The rest of the day was spent showing Will around the house letting him get used to Hannibal’s presence. For now his angel said nothing about the corpse in the shed or the lungs in the kitchen._ _

__By evening time Will had picked out his bedroom - down the hall from Hannibal’s - and stationed himself in the study. Before Hannibal joined him he couldn’t resist a peek into what room his angel had chosen. Something like emotion tightened his throat when Hannibal saw Will’s choice. Perhaps not such a surprise he had gone for the bedroom that was a reminder of Hannibal’s one time impulse for whimsy instead of elegance. Really the room reflected a child’s taste for nature and light colors than a grown man’s lavish idea of wealthy decorations._ _

__The masterpiece by far was the four poster bed. Instead of regular posts they were shaped into trees, the color for the bark and leaves handpainted by Hannibal himself. Around the pale mint green walls flowers drawn in every color and variety pushed up through the runner boards. No doubt the floor to ceiling windows had been persuasive as well. Never without a glimpse of the clouds that hid Will’s home._ _

__By the time Hannibal joined Will in the study his angel was too enthralled the books to act wary around him. Despite his fascination he had manners enough take down only one at a time. From his seat in his favorite chair Hannibal watched Will linger over all the different choices unable to decide what to read first._ _

__“May I suggest perhaps you start with the Bible? It might give you some insight to how your Mother’s words have been interpreted.” Will bit his lip as he stared at the books weighing if the holy work of humans would be a suitable first choice. “You can read any of the books you like Will I will not limit you to just one.” At once his angel relaxed relieved to hear that he had free reign. Hannibal retrieved said book from where it resided with its fellow cousins of theology._ _

__Careful not to let their fingers touch Will took the bible eyes roaming over the cover and gilt pages. He rustled his wings out of habit, feathers brushing Hannibal’s shin, before he sprawled on his stomach to read in front of the fire. Clearly Hannibal was going to need to make some room. Will could barely unfurl his blond and brown wings amongst all this furniture. He could stand to sell off everything in here if it meant Will wouldn’t leave. It was in this way they passed a silent evening together absorbed in their own activities._ _

__\---_ _

__Sunday morning was a subdued affair even with the surprise incident with the shower. It seemed his angel had wanted to test out showering and had managed to shock himself with the cold tap. A shout from Will’s room brought Hannibal jogging from the kitchen to Will’s bedroom. Seeing that nothing was knocked over and his angel not in sight he knocked firmly on the bathroom door._ _

__“Will Are you alright? Have you burnt yourself?” Concern laced Hannibal’s otherwise warm voice._ _

__Seconds later the door opened to reveal a dripping wet Will without a stitch of clothing on or even a towel to cover himself. It was a feat of his restraint that Hannibal managed not to let his eyes dip downwards. Of course, Will would think nothing of being naked, ignorant as he was of humans varying ideas of what was socially acceptable nudity and of his newly human body._ _

__“No, no. I’m alright. It was just cold…I was startled. But…Why are there _six different knobs for water?_ ” Hannibal chuckled before he nudged aside his angel pointing out each handle in turn._ _

__“These four control which spouts the water comes from, the pressure, how warm one would like the shower floor to be, and the last one is fireplace beside the shower. You’ve already figured out the two for hot and cold.” Will grunted in response not amused._ _

__Afterwards, Will came downstairs much relaxed after a proper shower. The rest of the day was quiet and peaceful between them each one again involved in their separate novels._ _

__\---_ _

__Monday morning brought the dilemma of what his angel was to do while Hannibal’s at work to the forefront. Will refused to let Hannibal out of his sight - lest he kill again - and as much as he didn’t mind the company, Hannibal knew that his patients wouldn’t feel the same way._ _

__“I promise you, Will, I will be on my best behavior, but I _cannot_ bring you with me. My patients expect their privacy, and here on Earth I must respect that.” He held open the Bentley’s passenger door for Will, who was chewing at his lip. It was obvious his angel was less than pleased at having to _already_ let his charge out of his sight. Hannibal moved around the car and slid into his seat to start the car, the sound of the ignition startling Will. _ _

__“Let me introduce you to Jack. You can redeem sinners far worse than me while you wait.” Will wondered what could be _worse than Hannibal butchering people_. Of course, he was less than pleased to be handed off to a babysitter, but there was little he could do. He was among humans now and needed to follow their rules, no matter how much they interfered with his mission. The unsettling motion of the car moving didn't improve his mood either. He decided cars weren’t a human invention he cared for. _ _

__\--_ _

__The building Hannibal took him to was modern but foreboding. Will wondered why humans had developed such a taste for glass and sharp corners. A representation of their true nature, perhaps?  
He found the interior was no better. The carpet was a bland brown, with walls that alternated between glass and a blank kind of tile. Instead, he focused on the task Hannibal had mentioned earlier._ _

__“Who are the sinners I’m going to help repent?” Will hadn’t seen any of the usual images of religiosity on the walls. There had been talk in Heaven of a move away from openly showing religious symbols. This building confirmed the truth of the recent dead's news. Regardless of the decorations, he could still do his job; the icons just helped focus the mind on a specific point._ _

__Hannibal’s eyes crinkled up, in what he was recognizing as amusement, at the question. Did he think Will couldn’t handle these people?_ _

__“You will not be seeing them right away. I thought with your extensive knowledge of humans you would be able to help find them first.”_ _

__In spite of himself, Will’s interest was piqued. How fast _could_ he catch these sinners without the all-seeing advantage of Heaven? By now they had reached another set of glass doors which led into a decent sized office. The man sitting behind the desk looked stern and, when he caught sight of Will, scrutinized him. It unnerved him and, habit that it was, Will opened his wings a bit to relieve the tension. His eyes followed the movement and at once, Will froze; shocked. He had hidden his wings from sight so no one but Hannibal and the devout should have been able to see them. _ _

__“Jack, may I present to you Will? Will, this is Jack Crawford, he’s the man you will be helping today.” Jack stood and came round from his desk offering his hand; an odd custom humans had. Carefully Will shook his hand stretching his wings out further. A small comfort to see the spark of awe in the man’s eye at the display._ _

__“Will is it? I’d thought angels preferred names like Zadkiel and Michael.” Will glanced to Hannibal who seemed unbothered by the fact that Jack knew what he was._ _

__“I think you’ll find Kushiel and Dumah are preferred by God now; though it seems, Will, you’ve become more like Cassiel, hm?” Will met Hannibal’s amused gaze while Jack’s brows creased as he looked between the two._ _

__“It’s a name and path worth taking.” Will solemnly answered. Hannibal’s eyes twinkled at him before his gaze went back to Jack._ _

__“I’m afraid work calls, but I will be back to pick up Will after my last session. Good day Jack.” Another small smile. “Goodbye Will.”_ _

__The silence after Hannibal left was tangible but Jack, now in work mode, didn’t let it last._ _

__“Despite Hannibal conveniently forgetting to tell me you’re an angel, if you can bring any new light to these cases, I don’t care what you are.” The brute honesty helped Will feel more at ease and even more curious._ _

__Four hours later, Will was still absorbed in figuring out the puzzle placed before him. It was to understand the pattern of the serial killer Jack was hunting, before they killed again. He had to admit the pressure of time sparked something akin to excitement. The tedium of Heaven and the frustration of Hannibal made him almost thankful for this work. Will sighed through his nose as he opened his wings to their full span, currently annoyed. Sprayed across the long conference table were the glossy crime scene photos. The blood in every shot seemed to glisten under the bright office lights. Bookends to these grotesque pictures were the files on each victim._ _

__A light tap from Jack on his right wing informed Will he had come to check on his progress. Will folded his wings back up, wishing Jack would not touch him with such freedom._ _

__Ignorant to this Jack asked, "Have you found anything so far?" eyeing the sprawl of photos trying to decipher a pattern. Will scrubbed at his face wishing he could give a different answer._ _

__"He or more likely she's doing this to gain Mother’s attention." Why else such desperate, gore sprayed work holy symbols drawn in her victims’ blood? Jack latched onto his words and pushed for more._ _

__“What do you mean, ‘to gain her mother’s attention’? Would abuse have pushed her to these extreme measures?” Of course, Will didn’t realize he should have played dumb to the questions. He didn’t know his four hours’ worth of work would make him an unofficial member to Jack’s cases. So in his ignorance he answered Jack’s questions with his theories._ _

__“No, I don’t mean her human mother’s attention but _Mother - God”__ _

___He was still so unused to addressing her by mankind’s name._ _ _

___“Likely she’s scared of - of not knowing if Mother is listening to her - if she’s real.” Jack frowned at hearing this._ _ _

___“How can she not know that God is real? Doesn’t she see the angels walking around?” Jack gestured at his back, “Kind of hard to miss wings sprouting out of somebody’s shoulder blades.” Will gnawed at his bottom lip as he moved a few of the pictures around - there were some symbols in the photos that were too old for his memory. It was a burden to be young amongst angels made clearer in a situation like this where lives hung on his memories._ _ _

___“Our wings are only visible to those who believe in Mother or who need us.” Jack closed his eyes letting out a deep sigh as he rubbed at his eyes. He was a man who seemed weary and unsurprised at anything. If Will was in his position surrounded by this gore day in and day out he likely would be the same way._ _ _

___“So you mean to tell me that God is a woman and that our serial killer is trying to get in tune with her?” Jack stated more then asked as he leaned on his knuckles against the table. Will nodded absorbed in studying the particular symbols this woman had chosen. What ones he could decipher were picked with forgiveness and hopelessness in mind. “You sure you’re not a fallen angel? You talk like you’ve done her crimes yourself.” Will fidgeted rustling his wings as he moved around the evidence on the large table._ _ _

___Humans were brilliant at poking sensitive topics._ _ _

___“You forget I’ve seen you _humans_ slaughter each other every way imaginable since I could look in the Earth Well.” Will’s slip of the tongue made him cringe though all Jack did was raise his brows at this slip of information. The slow blink of his eyes spoke of his skepticism as if Will were telling him an interesting but fanciful story. The look made Will feel like he had irritating splinters under his skin. He had never known someone’s body language could be such a bother. _\- Mother forgive him -_ he preferred Hannibal’s company._ _ _

___Will rubbed his fingertips against his mouth - he shouldn’t have said anything. Now all Jack would ask about was what Heaven was like. Of course, angels weren’t sworn to secrecy, in fact more than anything his kind flocked to the cloth. They clung like children to what pieces of Mother they could have here on this chaotic planet. Yet what his kind _didn’t_ speak about to humans was the Earth Well or any of the Wells in Heaven. The privilege was only for the purest creatures and not even the saintliest of humans could match an angel’s divine birth. He didn’t want to explain to Jack about their Wells used to peer into different worlds. He wouldn’t believe him anyways. _ _ _

___Thank Mother they were interrupted at that moment by a woman entering the conference room. She was unbothered by Jack’s scowl at the distraction. Before he could remember the social nicety of greeting Will was shocked into silence when she removed her coat to reveal tiny wings. They barely reached her elbows when opened._ _ _

___This woman was a half breed._ _ _

___Despite his ungracious gaping the woman grinned at him in greeting._ _ _

___“So you’re an angel too? Well I’m one of a kind you could say. My name’s Beverly.” She laughed as she offered her hand to him. Just as he had appraised her wings so Beverly returned the favor with her expression of surprised admiration. “Wow your Dad must have stuck out like a sore thumb to have wings that giant.” Numbly Will answered size didn’t mean anything when genes in Heaven were what Mother wanted them to be._ _ _

___Beverly raised her eyebrows at that blinking her eyes wide in disbelief._ _ _

___“So the sins of the father are visited on the son? And in this case it was a good thing and God gave you those wings?” Will nodded mind still grinding over how Mother had allowed this to happen. Those who descended to Earth had been warned of the carnal sins that would surround and tempt them. In Heaven all angels were sexless, but here on Earth this was not the case. Once descended they took on many characteristics of humans including their genitalia. Beverly’s very being attested to the temptations her father had given into. The realization made his mouth dry and chest constrict. No more was he protected from his body’s urges._ _ _

___Will blinked back into focus when a concerned Beverly waved a hand in front of his face._ _ _

___“Hey you okay there angel boy? You look like you saw a ghost.” He nodded though his thoughts were scattered elsewhere. No, he wouldn’t let these base animal cravings distract him from saving Hannibal’s soul. Hannibal wouldn’t lose his redemption just because Will was too weak to resist his human body._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___By the time Hannibal returned to pick him up Will was drained. The Earth Well had not prepared him for this kind of close up with the brutality of humans or the gore. Of course, he had been aware of the disturbing violence, but there had been so many other Wells and life forms to watch over that Will had never taken the time to become well acquainted with humans._ _ _

___He was thankful that Hannibal kept quiet on the way home. In fact, he seemed completely unbothered by the silence. Will had no appetite, but even so he accompanied Hannibal to the kitchen. The routine of cooking he had found soothed his frayed nerves. It seemed Hannibal knew he needed monotony, for Will got the job of peeling potatoes. The simple work needed his attention just enough not to cut himself._ _ _

___Will managed a few bites of dinner before he excused himself to bed. Today he couldn’t wait for Hannibal to finish eating, to be alone in his bedroom._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___Hannibal watched his angel unable to help the smile that tugged at his lips. How exhausted Will was unable to even fully keep his wings off the ground. For himself the day had been uneventful. Franklyn’s appointment had been today and though Hannibal prided himself for the seal on his emotions he loathed the man. Neurotic to the point of distraction he clung like a limpet to anyone who made him feel any self-worth. However, it was no matter now not with Will here. Hannibal had occupied his thoughts with Will when Franklyn felt particularly verbose about his feelings._ _ _

___He restrained himself until after he had showered and changed into pajamas to seek out Will. There was no doubt his angel would be asleep by now the day spent with death from the point of view humans exacting a heavy price._ _ _

___It wasn’t a habit of his to look in on guests while they were sleeping, but with Will he found he didn’t care to follow any of his usual behaviors. When he opened the bedroom door Hannibal found his angel splayed out on his stomach deep asleep as if he were dead. No doubt that was the most comfortable way to let his wings stretch out. A gorgeous creature he was the moonlight illuminating the spreading inky darkness on his blond wing._ _ _

___Hannibal was unashamed to say he was captivated._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___Soon enough he and Will settled into a pattern. Hannibal brought Will to Jack for work and picked him up in the evenings. There were no killings from him (by chance he had stockpiled before Will’s arrival) and his angel grew complacent with the peace between them. He was comfortable. Hannibal preyed on Will’s lowered guard to sew him ever more into his life. There was no chance he was letting him escape._ _ _

___During one evening of doing just that Hannibal inquired about Heaven. They were preparing dinner when he asked using the comfort of the kitchen to pinch at this sensitive topic. Will had the task of washing the fruits and vegetables (his fascination with the sink hadn’t lessened) while Hannibal prepped the meat._ _ _

___“Will, if I may ask what is Heaven truly like? There are endless amounts of ideas here on Earth but humans have a tendency to distort anything remotely true. Or have we been fed a different version such as Mother becoming Father?”_ _ _

___When only silence answered his question he looked over to see Will had gone tense, biting his lower lip conflicted whether he should tell Hannibal anything. “Are we vaguely close to being right?” Hannibal prompted._ _ _

___This seems to be something he can share for Will answers. “Heaven’s a lot like Earth in nature and architecture except there aren’t any roofs since everyone flies. Every new generation that comes in brings new ideas.”_ _ _

___“Even the children fly?” asked Hannibal. Will blinked as if taken aback at realizing there were young ones in Heaven. Of course, from his perch in the clouds dying and death wouldn’t carry the same idea of terror for him as it did for humans, as he was coming to understand as a human himself._ _ _

___“Yeah, you know I guess I never thought about it until now what they might have been leaving behind. How frightened their families must be for them.” Will murmured looking down at the apple in his hand. This was no good Hannibal wanted conversation not to make his angel brood._ _ _

___“And your family? Were you born an angel?” Will nodded still lost in thought but from memories rather than unhappy discoveries._ _ _

___“My mother - angel one - she had black hair and green eyes. My father had...had - ,” Hannibal glanced over to see Will frown as he overwashed a potato. “I can’t remember.” The potato _thumped_ into the sink as Will shook his head expression panicked. “Mother’s face - I can’t see her she’s a blur.” _ _ _

___Hannibal reached out for his angel but was knocked roughly aside by the solid heft of Will’s left wing as he fled the kitchen. He picked himself up from the floor to follow after stopping at the glass door to watch Will struggle to take flight._ _ _

___It was clear that even with his enormous wings because of Earth’s gravity, they weren’t enough to lift his weight anymore. Hannibal watched only for a minute as Will worked to gain more than a few inches off the ground. There was no need to watch his angel’s hopeless task any longer than that._ _ _

___Evening arrived by the time Hannibal checked on Will again to see him collapsed on his side on the ground. One wing was pulled tight against his back with the right one stretched out over him as if to hide from this new truth. Will didn’t move away when Hannibal crouched down beside him. He was unable to resist reaching out and pressing a hand to his splayed wing._ _ _

___The thought crossed Hannibal’s mind of what angel flesh would taste like. Never before had he had such a creature in his grasp._ _ _

___Yet more than Hannibal wanted to consume him was the almost desperate desire to have Will be his alone. He wanted to mold his angel, to touch and explore him. The innocence of Heaven had divorced Will from the knowledge and act of carnal sin. His angel would be so sensitive to every touch._ _ _

___“I’m forgetting Heaven, Hannibal.” The words drew him from his ponderings. Hannibal stroked Will’s wing from where it fused into his back. Will was too distraught to deny him._ _ _

___“An unfortunate side effect of becoming human it seems. Death is no longer comforting.” He didn’t miss the way Will’s shoulders loosened from Hannibal’s caresses._ _ _

___“I’ll just be a freak with wings.”_ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___Three days later Hannibal wasn’t surprised when Will finally lashed out. The shock of almost complete human transformation would terrify any angel._ _ _

___“How can you stand _eating people_?” Will blurted out over dinner. There was no element of surprise. Hannibal had noticed Will avoiding the kitchen like the plague giving one reason after another of why he skipped meals. It was an ill attempt to disguise his renewed revulsion at just what kind of flesh was put on the table. Hannibal wiped his mouth before he deigned to look at Will. _ _ _

___“The thrill of it.” A confused squinting of the eyes from Will complete with the pinched space between his eyebrows. “The thrill of the taboo,” Hannibal clarified. “Human flesh is not so different from an animal but it’s the snaring of that prey. None compares to the danger of capturing and killing another human. So many elements could go wrong and when it all goes off perfect there is nothing better than a well done job.” Will stood up unable to sit and have this conversation of Hannibal’s redemption as if it were nothing._ _ _

___“You’re not even trying to repent Hannibal! I - I can’t save you from yourself!”_ _ _

___Hannibal raised an eyebrow at that. “Have you ever supposed Will I’m not meant to go to Heaven?” He queried settling back in his chair wine glass in hand. Will rustled his wings frustrated._ _ _

___“But you _are_ Hannibal! Why else would Mother have sent me to you? She wants all her children to be with her.” _ _ _

___“Perhaps it was because you were destined to fail? Sent to watch what happens to a sinner?”_ _ _

___“No!” Will slashed at the air with his hand as if to stop the truth. Hannibal knew God had never been a kind deity no matter the masks she wore in the New Testament. He had had no expectations God would deign to start now. But none of that had ever frightened or even bothered him before Will had come into his life - his angel changed that. God’s cruelty made Hannibal furious for he knew this failure would cut his beloved angel to the bone. What sort of mother did that to her children?_ _ _

___“You know it’s true, Will. There is blood on my hands, I reject your holy Mother - ”_ _ _

___That last piece was too much for him. “ _Shut up!_ ” Will snarled his wings unfurling in an instant and how much like a bird of prey he looked in the heat of his anger. A falcon made human. A breathtaking image. _ _ _

___“It bothers you most that I don’t accept your cruel Mother? Not that I have consumed other humans?” Will clenched his jaw the muscles seething as he ground his teeth._ _ _

___“All that bothers me, but yes that you don’t accept Mother is the top one.”_ _ _

___Hannibal kept the smile from his face but knew by his angel’s white knuckles on the back of the chair that he failed to do so with his eyes. “What a peculiar angel you are. No wonder you were given to me with such generous ideas as that.” Will didn’t answer instead he turned and skulked from the room._ _ _

___The next morning Will did not come down for breakfast, in fact he didn’t come out of his room until it was time to leave. Hannibal was sorry to see his angel so upset, but he had nothing to apologize for and he would not falsely repent to soothe him. However, he wasn’t so petty as to let Will go off to work without breakfast even if he was being stubborn. In the car Hannibal deposited the insulated lunch bag on Will’s lap holding up a hand to stop his refusal._ _ _

___“There is no meat in there and you need to eat no matter if you are angry at me. I will not apologize Will, but we can still be civil to one another despite our disagreement.” Hannibal watched his angel struggle between refusing his offering of tentative peace or accepting it for the sake of not going hungry every morning._ _ _

___Will said not a word when they arrived at the college but took the lunch bag with him when he exited the car._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___In the days that followed Hannibal watched as his angel mired himself in the religious serial killer. During this time he abstained from feeding Will any meat products. Of course, he had enjoyed seeing Will eat human flesh even as Will had pretended he didn’t know its origins, but even Hannibal had limits. He wasn’t going to force feed his angel what he didn’t want to eat, but even with this concession the strain was still between them._ _ _

___Soon Will had become so involved - _obsessed_ \- with the case he stopped coming to the kitchen in the evenings. Instead he would stay in his room struggling with the puzzle of Elizabeth - the name of the killer - and where she would strike next. Hannibal missed his angel’s presence while he was cooking. The rustle of his wings as he moved._ _ _

___The torn stitching hurt more than Hannibal wanted to admit._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___It was due to his renewed focus within a week Will was closer than ever to finding Elizabeth. He had plotted out the general area of where she would be, but couldn’t get specifics which upset him and most of all Jack. It was after three days of being harangued that Will gave in and said he knew almost exactly where she was. No sooner had he closed his mouth then Jack was bundling him out the door and ordering Will to direct them to the location._ _ _

___Two hours later and six gravel roads down Will ordered to stop the car. She was close and had brought another victim. The team Jack had ordered to follow after them was armed to the teeth even though Will had said Elizabeth herself wouldn’t be besides a knife. It had earned him a deadpan look before Jack demanded everyone to spread out and start the search. One of the many armed officers was at Will’s side in a second after he disembarked from the car. He waved the woman off._ _ _

___“I need to be alone to track her having others around is distracting.” The woman gave him a doubtful look but Jack’s bark of an order sent her away._ _ _

___“Call out if you find her our guys won’t be far from you.” Jack stated to which Will absentmindedly nodded already sensing her trail._ _ _

___Elizabeth waited until Will had walked away from the piercing headlights of the cars and the roving flashlights to attack him. She drew him deeper until the sounds of the others had been muffled to nothing by the trees and shrubbery. But he didn’t notice concentrating too hard to realize his vulnerability. She tasered him when his back was to her. If he had been smarter he would have realized such an obvious ploy. At once she pounced on his prone form raining down vicious punches that made his head ring. A hit to his temple blacked out his vision._ _ _

___It was only minutes that he was unconscious but those minutes were time enough. He awoke to find that Elizabeth had bound him facedown to an enormous cross laid out in the grass. His wings were tied down over his arms. The soft stalks brushed his face as he trembled teeth clicking with the violence of the tremors, his chin resting in the cradle of the cross. He had spent too much time inside her head to be ignorant of how this was going to end for him._ _ _

___She was going to cut his wings off. The final desperate act to commune with Mother. Will’s stomach heaved as he thrashed against the rope around his wrists and ankles. The knots were too well tied to squirm loose. His head throbbed with pain from her earlier punches._ _ _

___The sound of footsteps made him look up to see Elizabeth gazing down at him her mouth a hard line. The cold light in her blue eyes said there would be no mercy._ _ _

___“H - how did you know?” If he had to lose his wings Will wanted to hear how she had become aware of his existence. It kept the neat little instrument in her hand away from him. She crouched down, placing the bone saw by his head, before she pressed a feverish palm to his jaw. He didn’t flinch letting her feel how real he was, of what she was about to do to one of Mother’s children._ _ _

___“I knew about you after my third signal to Mother. It begged me to let it live - that it had a vision of an angel of redemption coming to earth.” Elizabeth’s eyes wandered to his wings as did her hand. The touch made him shiver; ice in his blood. “It would take more signals but I knew soon enough you would come for me.”_ _ _

___There was no warning before a knife bit into his skin. The screams clawed their way out his throat as she worked the knife towards bone. He choked as he vomited from the pain eyes rolling back into his head._ _ _

___“Angel you’ll finally know what it is to be _human_.” Elizabeth snarled as the knife worked at his other wing. She was making openings for the bone saw. “You’ll know what it’s like to be without - to - to be lost.” She sobbed hot tears dripping onto his shoulders. Oh God he wanted this to end the agony of it all. _ _ _

___Elizabeth screamed before her hands and knife left his wings. He collapsed into the cross, heaving. There was a scuffle, a squeak from her as she hit the ground and there was Hannibal on top of her chest, legs pinning down her arms his fist wound in her hair. She screeched that she hadn’t finished - Mother wasn’t ready for her. He ignored her ravings and Will swore as he dipped in and out of consciousness, that Hannibal’s eyes were on him. Before he could be sure his savior had already turned back to Elizabeth._ _ _

___Hannibal stabbed and stabbed her - feral in a way only humans in a killing passion could become. Will heaved at the sight of the knife buried to the hilt in her throat. Elizabeth gasped and choked convulsing beneath Hannibal who _snarled_ at the noises. The metal flashed as he with all his might plunged the blade in over and over until Will sobbed for him to stop, stop! _ _ _

___By the end she lay silent face disfigured in her dying terror throat mutilated to a pulpy mush. Will flickered back to consciousness as Hannibal knelt beside him and untied the bindings. He couldn’t bring himself to care that Hannibal smeared blood onto his face when he stroked his hair back._ _ _

___Words were being spoken to him but reality seemed to be drifting away. All his brain could supply was that he had been _saved_. Hannibal’s fingers probed the ragged wounds of his wings to assess the damage done._ _ _

___Unconsciousness hit him like power off._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___Will didn’t become aware of the world again until he was blinking his eyes open on a table - Hannibal’s dining room table - where he was laid out on his stomach. He recognized the chandelier above his head. The graceful arms of it the familiarity a comfort. Hannibal's row of plants - edible and otherwise - perfumed the room with the smell of green. No emotions, no pain touched him though he could feel as if from far away the panic and agony that scrambled at the edges of his conscience. Will groped for the sensations anything to make this real._ _ _

___It seemed only seconds before Hannibal descended upon him as if _he_ had become the guardian angel. But it was all wrong, where were Hannibal’s wings? He couldn’t be his angel without them. _ _ _

___“Your - wings?” His tongue felt too heavy and big to speak. And Hannibal - Hannibal looked to be crying there was a wet shine to his eyes. Had someone cut his wings off too? Was he trapped on this hellish place like him? A sob welled up low in Will’s throat; a pained sound. What would happen to Hannibal without his wings? Will didn’t want to be alone anymore - he had found a reason to endure this brutal Earth more than just redeeming a lost soul._ _ _

___The sensation of glass pushed into his skin pulled him gently back into the silent void._ _ _

___Time passed in this way. Twice Will awoke to Hannibal at his bedside to soon be sucked down into unconsciousness._ _ _

___He dreamed of Hannibal in angel form._ _ _

___Hannibal's wings were earthy brown but when Will reached out and stroked one of them the feathers fell away like dead leaves. Underneath was the skin of a bat. He pressed his fingers to the thin heated membrane fascinated by the difference. There was no warning when his fingers tore through and yet he couldn’t _stop_ tearing him apart. He couldn’t breathe as he looked to Hannibal who wore a serene smile unbothered by the torn flesh and dripping blood of his wing. _ _ _

___“I will always kill for you.” Hannibal whispered._ _ _

___Will wrenched himself awake heart racing and muscles aching. He was alarmed to find he couldn’t lift his face more than a couple inches from his pillow - he was too weak._ _ _

___“Hold on Will.” He turned his head to see Hannibal setting a tray down on the nightstand. It felt surreal not to see the enormous bat wings on him. “You’re weak from lack of any solid foods. In order to save you I had to put you in a medically induced coma. I didn’t realize angels metabolized anesthesia so quickly you woke up a few times while I was gone. Please forgive me for forcing that upon you.” He explained as with ease he moved Will from his stomach onto his back into the enormous pillow pile at the end of the bed. In this fashion he now reclined his wings still kept open. Hannibal’s touch grounded him allowed Will to shake off the last remnants of the nightmare. This was his human Hannibal touching him no morbid angel hybrid._ _ _

___“How long?” Will croaked gladly drinking from the glass of water Hannibal held up to his mouth._ _ _

___“A week.” Water finished Will sagged against the pillows still exhausted. He couldn’t recall much besides the nightmare that had woken him up._ _ _

___“What happened to Elizabeth’s body?”_ _ _

___Hannibal did not speak but instead caressed his cheek. As if Will had always allowed him such freedom, and at this point Will no longer cared. Not after what he nearly lost and what Hannibal had done for him._ _ _

___“She’s well-hidden no one will find her, but what I am concerned about is you Will.” He struggled to keep his breathing calm his throat from closing up._ _ _

___“My wings?” Hannibal’s fingers found their way into his hair. It was almost the perfect distraction but - “Hannibal, tell me. I need to know.” He sighed as he tugged on Will’s curls. All this touching any time before would have overwhelmed Will but the painkillers in his system made his nerves merely buzz._ _ _

___“When I checked yesterday there was no infection and the stitches were still holding. But she cut deeply into the muscles, Will. Likely you will never fly on Earth again even the small amount you had before. I would not be surprised if Mother did not heal them in Heaven.” Will blinked. His head felt like it was floating away on a string. He groped for Hannibal’s free hand and clung to the physical touch._ _ _

___There were no words of comfort to be offered. The panic started to crush his lungs. No more flying - he may as well be human after what she had done to him. He was ruined._ _ _

___Hannibal did not speak just maneuvered them both until they were horizontal Will’s head resting on Hannibal’s chest. It was shockingly intimate and yet he couldn’t bring himself to move. What did it matter? He had failed in every sense of being a guardian angel. There was no redemption for Hannibal, and what of himself? Would he too be punished for his failure?_ _ _

___The slow drag of fingers through his curls quieted Will’s thoughts to whispers and then silence. His eyelids grew heavy and closed without his permission._ _ _

___How easy one could give in to this comfort of the flesh forget your purpose for a single scrap of affection._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___Hannibal became his anchor and Will knew he shouldn’t keep feeding his craving for the physical affection, but he found he didn’t have the heart to resist anymore. It was nothing but small touches throughout the day but they were addictive._ _ _

___As for his work with Jack Will couldn’t in good conscience shut down what had now become a part of his life. Yet he realized his naivety in not learning how to carry a gun or training in self-defense. No doubt Hannibal could have taught him with little fuss, but Will needed the training to be with someone who had not become so intimate with him. He didn’t trust himself with what might happen if he had even more concentrated touching from Hannibal. Jack acquiesced readily to the self-defense and gun training._ _ _

___\--_ _ _

___It was six weeks after the cutting of his wings when Hannibal inquired if he may look at the wounds. They were in the study when he brought this up Will sprawled out on the floor in front of the fire dozing. The heat, Will had come to find, helped the low grade ache that had settled in the cuts. He could close his wings a fraction now, but was nowhere close to being able to fold them against his back like he used to. It made for some odd looks from people who didn’t see his wings wonder why he shuffled through doorways sideways._ _ _

___The muzzy thought wandered through Will’s head of why the sudden need to look now, but he didn’t protest against the attention. Now that his wings were healing correctly Hannibal had become less affectionate as the need for stringent care lessened. He had missed the casual touches_ _ _

___No doubt they were still fine, Hannibal went on making Will blink and flush at the direction of his thoughts, but his doctor’s conscience wouldn’t let him rest if he didn’t check to make sure. Will nodded and started to sit up from his nest of blankets though at once Hannibal motioned for him to stay put as he kneeled at his side._ _ _

___Hannibal raised a hand. “May I?” Will swallowed, nodded. He struggled to contain his nerves. The atmosphere felt different the touching wasn’t done to save his wings but merely to inspect them._ _ _

___How intimate this must be for his angel Hannibal thought with a small smile. It made heat settle low in his stomach. At first he only grazed his fingertips along the lesser wing coverts smiled faintly when they twitched. How sensitive his angel was._ _ _

___“Tell me Will did your parents ever touch your wings?” asked Hannibal as he let his hand smooth down the broad plane of the dark brown wing. He noted with pleasure the black coloring had now run down the entire back of the blonde one. The breathiness was not imagined when Will answered, “No, no one gets hurt in Heaven.”_ _ _

___Hannibal hummed at this. Just as he had thought completely untouched in every sense of the word. It made him want to maul Will right here and now. However this wasn’t the time for that. Instead he stroked Will’s back pleased with the visible shiver that drew from him._ _ _

___“You’ve missed this.” Without fail Hannibal’s hand crept into his hair. He couldn’t resist the curls. “What do you want?”_ _ _

___Will didn’t answer right away just let Hannibal continue finger combing his hair. It didn’t soothe the butterflies raging in his ribcage or the need that was pleading at him to reach out and pull Hannibal down beside him. He flushed at the idea of how he wanted to be caressed like this all over to be treated like something delicate and precious. Hannibal treated him like that already and he wanted more._ _ _

___A breathe of courage. “Kiss me?” He mumbled into the blanket and okay he wasn’t as brave as he had hoped, but Hannibal didn’t seem to mind. In fact when he stretched out beside him he wore a self-satisfied grin as if he hadn’t expected any other reaction. “You’re enjoying this.” Will griped shyly hiding his face in the blanket. If he had known Hannibal was going to be so amused by his embarrassment he would have held off longer._ _ _

___Hannibal waited until he had peeked up from his blankets. “I am Will. You’re so innocent of sexual feelings and seeing you struggle with them is arousing.” His hand moved from his hair to his cheek warming Will’s entire face with the contact. “Untouched by all but myself.” Hannibal’s eyes flickered down to his mouth and Will couldn’t breathe for the anticipation. Will kissed him startled at the need that pushed any thought of reticence from his mind. None of it matter when Hannibal was the one kissing his mouth, his face while he stroked his hair and murmured praises. This man was worth going to Hell for._ _ _

___They were lying in front of the dying fire dozing when Hannibal murmured some time later, “I’ve managed to corrupt you with carnal sin.” Will rolled his eyes from where his head rested on Hannibal’s chest settling his left wing over them almost completely blotting out the dimmed firelight._ _ _

___\---_ _ _

___It took time before Will made peace with what he was sacrificing to stay with Hannibal. But there was no other choice for Will not when it came to to the man he loved._ _ _

___“You understand what this means for you don’t you Will?” His angel looked nauseous but determined. Will gripped the knife tighter knuckles white._ _ _

___“Heaven wouldn’t be worth it without you.”_ _ _

____Oh, beloved angel._ _ _ _

___“But there is no chance of rebirth or redemption in Hell.” Hannibal would admit he’s selfish enough to want Will in that fiery pit with him. But he needed to know how strong his angel’s resolve was with following him down. Will looked over and his eyes said he knew what Hannibal was doing._ _ _

___“Everyone thought Constantine was going to Hell, even he did. If a suicide can be saved so can we. And like I said before Hannibal Heaven or Earth doesn’t mean a thing if I’m alone for eternity.”_ _ _

___They didn’t speak again until the life had bled out from the filth in front of them. By no means did he want Will to become a vigilante. But just this once he wanted his love to know what a powerful, wonderful event killing could be._ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> My super amazing beta JJ helped me with all the wonderful punctuation you see. Feel free check in on her ao3: http://archiveofourown.org/users/tsundanire  
> Her tumblr: https://breath-of-mine.tumblr.com/
> 
> Here is the fancy shower Hannibal has: http://my-house-my-home.com/2013/02/11/i-love-fancy-showersbathrooms-its-one-thing-i-definitely-want-in-my-house-when-im-older/
> 
> This be Will's bedroom because I felt like it: http://orig09.deviantart.net/1900/f/2013/302/4/9/awesome_bedroom_decor_with_nature_concept_915x_by_peepzstar-d6sao1j.jpg
> 
> And finally the picture I stared at of Hugh for the longest time regarding angel!Will: https://41.media.tumblr.com/40bd863e78419cac3d4c21fc7d48cf5b/tumblr_nqbpqwJwjX1u1dccpo1_500.jpg
> 
> My favorite part of the whole story to write would be Elizabeth's death scene and Will's nightmare.


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